Self-attaching pouring spout for receptacles



Feb. 1 5, 1943. READ 2,311,255

SELF-ATTACHING POURING SPOUT FOR RECEPTACLES Filed April 5, 1941 A? THU/ FEAD INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 16, 1943 SELF-ATTACHING POURING SPOUT non nncnr'racms Arthur Read, Portland, Oreg. Application April 5, 1941, Serial No. 387,036

1 Claim.

ing spout adapted to be attached around the edges of a cut-away corner of the package.

It is one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a pouring spout of this character which is provided with means for automatically cutting or punching an aperture in the box or carton with which it is to be used and also to provide means for removably securing the pouring-spout to the carton in such a manner that it may be readily removed from a used or emptied carton and applied to a new one.

A further object of the invention is the pro- .vision of said means for forming the aperture and providing said means with a closure plate to seal the aperture but. so formed that when moved into an open position it forms a pouring spout.

A still further object as illustrated in the modifled form of the invention is the provision of an immovable pouring spout arranged in fixed relation to the cutting or aperture-forming means. This form of the invention is adaptable for use on packages, boxes, or cartons for handling commercial products such as certain kinds of powder or granular chemicals or other granular products wherein the sanitary advantages of a closed or sealed pouring spout are of no importance.

These and other objects will appear as my in-. vention is more fully hereinafter described in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and finally pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is one corner of a cardboard box or carton showing my invention operatively attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 3..

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of Figure 1 showing the locking means in a locked position in full and dotted lines, and in an unlocked position in broken lines. I

a fragmentary perspective view of Figure 4 is a slightly reduced bottom plan view of the invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the invention wherein the pouring spout is made immovable with respect to the aperture and is maintained in an open position with respect thereto.

Figure 6 is a tion.

Figure '7 is an end elevation of Figure 6 looking in the direction of the arrow therein.

Referring now more particularly to the draw- In Figure 1, reference numeral I indicates generally one corner of a cardboard box or carton as above referred to and having a top wall 2, side walls 3, and an end wall l.

Reference numeral 5 indicates a supporting plate adapted to bear against a wall of the carton to which the device is applied. The plate 5 is formed with an aperture 6 and adjacent the lower edge 1 thereof is formed a hinge 8 to swingably support a pouring spout, generally indicatedat 9, which consists of a bottom wall l0 and two side walls H and i2. The upper ends of each side wall are turned downwardly on themselves as at l3 (see Figure 2) to form limit-stops adapted to strike against the rear surface of the plate 5 in the full open position of the pouring spout. The lower portion of the plate 5 is formed into a channel M to slidably embrace a lockingclamp generally indicated at l5 and which comprises an elongated metal plate l6 folded over on itself at its upper end as at l1 (see Figures 2 and 3) and turned outwardly at its lower end as at ill to provide convenient gripping means.

Tothe rear wall of the plate 5 I secure by further modification of the invenany suitable means a pair of cutting blades l9 and 20 whose entire outer edges are sharpened to a knife edge and preferably pointed, as shown. Interconnecting the cutting blades and arranged transversely thereof is a shelf 2| which serves the dual purpose of maintaining the cutting blades in rigid parallel relation and also provides a shelf or support for the cut-out portion 22 of the carton to maintain it in an elevated position so as not to interfere with the free flow of the contents of the carton out through the pouring spout when in an open position.

After the device has been forced through the wall of a carton, the aperture cut, and the portion 22 moved upwardly by the shelf 2|, I then move the locking-clamp downinto its full line position as shown in Figure 3, whereat the folded-over portion l'lfirmly engages the wall of the carton and thereby securely attaches the plate 6 to the outside wall of the carton. By this ar-. rangement the device may be locked into position to the wall of the carton and held firmly to resist any movement which might be imparted to it through the manipulation or opening or closing of the pouring spout 9.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device may be quickly and conveniently applied to any carton, locked into operative position, and also may be readily detached therefrom by simply releasing the locking means.

'Ihe'cutting-blades l9 and 20 make the two vertical incisions through the wall of the carton and a horizontally disposed cutting blade 23 (see Figure 4) makes the incision to form the bottom edge of the pouring aperture. The cutting blade 23 is securely attached across the bottom edges of the blades l9 and 20 to further stabilizethe same and is shaped as shown with converging cutting edges 24 to facilitate its cutting operation.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure the pouring spout generally indicated at 25 is formed integral with, or permanently secured to, the supporting plate 26. The cutting blades 21 and 28 extend rearwardly from the plate 26 and are maintained in fixed parallel relation to each other by'the transverse cutting blade 29 and the shelf 30. To this form of the invention the locking clamp may be readily applied by merely elongating the lower portion of the plate 26 and forming a longitudinal channel therein to slidably support the metal plate, heretofore referred to at I6 in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

In the further modified form of the invention illustrated in Figure 6 the supporting plate 3| is apertured as at 3'2 and along the bottom edge of the aperture I hingedly mount a closure plate 33 formed with angular side walls 34 whose innermost ends are turned outwardly as at 35 to form limit stops for the opening of the closure plate 33. The plate and its side walls when moved to an open position form a pouring spout as shown, and when closed form a lid or closure for the aperture 32. Secured to and extending outwardly from the rear face of the supporting plate 3| is an elongated horizontal cutting blade 36 pointed as at 36A at its outermost end and sharpened to a knife edge entirely around its outermost edges. Secured to and depending from the outer end of the cutting blade 36 are two vertically disposed cutting blades 31 which are curved as shown and maintained in parallel spaced relationship by a shelf 38, which serves the same purpose, except in a reversed position as the shelf 2| described in connection with Figures 1 to 4, and the shelf 30 in Figure 5.

- abled to interpose a This modified form of the invention is applied to a carton, box, package, or the like, in a manner similar to the application of the other forms of the invention. The cutting blades 36 and 31 are thrust through the wall of the carton until the supporting plate 3| bears securely thereagainst.

The blade 36 cuts the top edge of the aperture while the two side blades thereof. The three sided flap, thus formed, is then bent downwardly by the inward movement of the shelf 36 and held beneath it in an out-ofthe-way position so that it does not interfere with the free flow of the contents of the carton out throughith pouring aperture or spout. In the other forms of theinvention the cut-out flap is swung upwardly to rest on top of the shelves 2| and while in the modified form thus described and shown in Figure 6 the flap is forced beneath the shelf 36.

By applying the locking clamp I5 to any of the forms of the invention illustrated I am enseal or gasket 39 between the supporting plate and the wall of the carton as illustrated in Figure 1. The gasket is securely compressed against the wall of the carton by the locking clamp and thus renders the edges of the 31 cut the side edges aperture leak-proof.

While I have shown a particular form of embodiment of my invention 1 am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A pouring spout for cartons comprising, a supporting plate, an aperture formed in the supporting plate, a pouring spout hingedly attached to the supporting plate adjacent one edge of the aperture therein and adapted in one position to serve as a closure for the aperture and in another to control dispensing action, cutting means carried by and porting plate and adapted to form an aperture in a carton when thrust through a wall thereof. said aperture in the carton wall being defined by three out sides-to form a tab, means fixedly secured to the cutting means for maintaining the tab in an elevated position with respect to the aperture in the wall of the carton, means for locking the supporting plate to the carton wall, said locking means comprising an inverted U shaped clamp slidably attached to the supporting plate and adapted to engage the apertured wall of the carton.

ARTHUR READ.

extending rearwardly from the sup- 

